Aerial toy



E. J. GlARA NO V'. 2, 1948;

AERIAL TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 A R m J u m E. J. GIARA AERIAL TOY Nov. 2, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AERIAL TOY Emil J. Giara, Mobile, Ala. Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 578,835

3 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates generally to the class of aerial toys and pertains particularly to a novelty device designed for use in connection with a kite.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a toynovelty in the form of a toy parachute together with means designed to be applied to a kite-string or cord or other cord extending upwardly into the air, by means of which the toy parachute when caused to move upwardly on rthe' cord, will be automatically released or disconnected from the cord when it has reached a predetermined elevation, to return slowly to the earth in opened out condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a toy novelty or amusement device of the character stated, a novelly designed parachute releasing device for attachment to the kite line, which may be cut and shaped from a single sheet of material such as heavy paper, light pasteboard or othersuita-ble material which may be easily cut and folded into the desired shape.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a toy novelty or amusement device comprising a toy parachute having a suspension hook, together with a releasing unit designed to be mounted upon the kite string and comprising a plurality of vanes which are maintained in parallel relation with the kite string and disposed therearound, onto one of which vanes the parachute hook will ride as the chute is caused to move upwardly into the air on the kite string by wind currents, causing the vane to turn over on the string or to twist the string and thus release the hook to allow the chute to descend.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, that the invention may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the. drawings:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of'the present invention to a kite string and its use in association with a toy parachute.

' Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the parachute throw-ofidevice showing the parachute approaching the device.

Figure 3' is a view in perspective of the throwoff device per se.

Figure 4 is a view inbottom planet the throw,- ofi" device.

-The present invention compris s two units which are to be used together in associationwith a'kite and kite string. of, any suitable character. These two units arev designated A and l? and comprise respectively a toy parachute constructed of any suitable light; weight material such. as light paper or cloth, and an. ejector or throw-0E device which is attached to, the kite line.

Figure 1 shows how the units, are combined with a kite string for use, this figure showing; a kite lit and a kite string H upon which. the units. A'and B are mounted, one of the units being shown at the lower end of the, string ready for ascent while, a second unit, A isshown being: res

leased from the spring by the unit B- As. willhe readily apparent from this; view any number: of the units A may be provided so the-ta succession of; such units maybe kept, moving along the kite string for: the amusement of the flyer of the kite orother persons.

The parachute,- A comprises; the fabric, or top portion l2, formed of light paper, cloth or other suitable material, and shroudsv l3 attached around the periphery of the top l2 in the customarymanner and joined together at the ends remote fromthe top. The lower ends of the shrouds maybe attached to any suitable body which will give sufiicient weight tocause the; parachute, to open up and descend in the proper manner, such weight member being designated 4.

At the center of the top portion 12, uponthe outer. side, there is, connected; bymeans: of, a. swivel 15, a hook [6, which is, designed to. be

engaged over. the, kite string ll.

While the ejector or throw-off device B may be formed in several different ways there is here illustrated a novel and simple manner of forming this unit or device from a single piece of material.

Before, however, describing the specific manner of making the ejector unit B, the general form and operation of the unit will be described.

This unit B comprises a substantially pyramidal body which is placed in inverted position on the kite string so that what would normally be the base of the pyramid becomes the" head of the unit and such head is designated I1.

Extending downwardly from the underside of the head are the substantially triangular vanes l8, the outer edges of these vanes converging to the inverted point or apex I9.

The vanes I8 and the head i! arev made up of folds of material as hereinafter described and when such folds are arranged to provide the completed unit there will be provided through the axial center of the unit a space, not shown, between the opposing inner edges of the vanes for the extension through the unit of the kite string I I. The head I! is provided with a central opening leadinginto such space, as indicated at 20, while a corresponding opening 2| is formed in the apex l9 and the kite string is threaded through these openings to pass through the center of the unit where it may be secured to the unit in any suitable manner, being retained in position either by friction or b the application of a suitable adhesive.

The apex or point of the ejector unit is directed downwardly or away from the kite. Thus it will be seen that When the kite is flying and the hook of a parachute is engaged over the string and is caused to slide upwardly on the string by the wind, the hook will ride onto the edge of one of the vanes l8, the point of the hook passing in between two vanes. When this occurs the parachute will be caused to move outwardly away from the string and the weight of the parachute will cause an unbalancing of the ejector so that it will turn on the string or will turn and twist the string, to bring that vane over which the hook is engaged, to a lower position or to a position below the string. When this occurs the tip or bill portion of the hook will engage the adjacent side of the vane over which the hook is disposed and will slide off from the vane thus releasing the parachute. The weight M of the parachute will then cause the same to drop and the chute will open and descend to the ground in the expected manner.

Figure '7 illustrates a blank of material from which the ejector may be formed. This comprises a substantially rectangular body portion a, from each of the four sides of which extend the tab b.

The body portion a is folded along the cross center lines 0 and is then folded in the opposite direction from the folds 0 along the diagonal crossed dotted lines d.

The material is cut from each end of a fold line 0, which line forms the ridge of each of the vanes l8, along the lines 6 thus forming an ear f which'is bent in along the line g to lock in between the two triangular portions h which fold together to form the vane. It will, accordingly, be seen that the fold lines c form the ridges while the fold lines 0! form the valleys between the vanes and the triangular tabs ,1 are locked between the two side portions h forming a vane.

The rectangular tabs 2) are then folded in one 4 over the other along the lines 2' to form the re tangular fiat top H of the ejector unit. Figure 8, illustrates a modified form of the throw-off device, formed as a single unit. This embodiment of the device comprises the upper longitudinally vaned tapered portion. designated 2|, the vanes being designated 22. As shown these vanes merge with the smooth tapered tail piece 23 which is of circular cross section. This embodiment of the device is preferably molded of suitable material such as a synthetic resin which may be colored as desired.

As will be readil understood, the embodiment of the ejector or throw-off device of Figures 8 and 9 has the kite cord or string I I extended through the longitudinal center thereof, a suitable passage 24, Figure 9, being provided for this purpose.

' From the foregoing, it is believed to be readily apparent that there is provided in the present invention an unique toy device which, by reasons of its automatic operation will provide amusement and pleasure to kite flyers, particularly children.

- Iclaim:

1. A toy device of the character stated comprising a parachute, a hook attached thereto for connection with a kite string, and means adapted to be mounted on the string to effect disconnection of the hook from the string, comprising an inverted pyramidal body having the string passing therethrough from the center of the base to the apex, the body being rotatable on the string and having radial triangular vanes onto and along the edge of one of which the hook is adapted to ride when the hook is slid along the string toward the apex of the body.

2. A toy device of the character stated comprising a parachute, a hook attached thereto for connection with a kite string, and a body designed to be secured on the kite string to effect the disconnection of the hook from the string as the hook moves therealong, comprising a head portion in the form of a substantially flat member having a central opening through which the kite string is adapted to pass whereby said flat member lies in a plane perpendicular to the string, and a plurality of relatively long substantially triangular vanes connected with said head member and extending therefrom longitudinally of the string in the direction from which the hook approaches on the string, said triangular vanes being spaced around the kite string and having the tapered lower ends in close proximity to the string whereby said hook may ride up along the edge of a vane, the vanes and head member being turnable on the string under the weight of the hook and parachute, to throw oi? the hook from the vane.

3. A toy device of the character stated comprising a parachute, a hook attached thereto for connection with a kite string, and means for effecting the disconnection of the hook from the kite string as the hook slides along and upwardly on the string, comprising a relatively long and tapered body having an axial opening therethrough adapted to receive the kite string, the aid body at the larger end thereof comprising a head portion disposed in a plane perpendicular to the string, the tapered smaller end of the body comprising a smooth substantially conical portion of circular cross section, and a plurality of relatively long substantially triangular vanes forming an integral part of the body between the head portion and the larger end of the said conical portion, the vanes being positioned around the body and extending through the widths thereof radially with respect to the string, the edges of the vanes tapering to and merging with the surface of the conical portion, the said tapered body being adapted to be mounted upon the kite string for rotation thereon and the hook being adapted to slide over the conical portion and along an outer edge of a vane to effect the turning of the tapered body on the kite string and the release of the hook from the vane.

EMIL J. GIARA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 10 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wyatt May 20, 1902 Jackson June 1, 1909 Brochau Feb. 10, 1914 Schwarz Aug. 28, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1905 

